Lee turret vs square deal

[PDR79]

I was sold on the lee classic turret but have a chance to get a used square deal for the same price. Which should I choose. I dont own rifles so thats not an issue.
thanks

[moulton]

turret... mine is shiping via ups and should be here in 1.5 days

[TonyM]

I like Dillon.

However, I couldn't recommend the Square Deal because it uses proprietary dies. I personally see this as potentially throwing money away if you ever upgrade presses.

[Fjold]

I like Dillon.

However, I couldn't recommend the Square Deal because it uses proprietary dies. I personally see this as potentially throwing money away if you ever upgrade presses.

+1, all the dies that you buy for the Lee can be used on any other press that you buy later.

[AraiGuma]

SDB is a piece of crap. I had it once for very short time (got a deal from shop closure), but did not do the job. Nobody will throw an useful progressive press for cheap price.

[wellfedirishman]

An opinion on both

I have both a Dillon Square Deal and a Lee Turret. BOTH are excellent tools, each for a different purpose.

The Square Deal will let you pump out good quality ammo fast. I can load 200-250 rounds an hour easily. To date, I have loaded over 1000 rounds of 44 Mag on my Square Deal, with minimal trouble. Once it was set up (not hard) it worked perfectly. However, you do need to use Winchester primers for the primer feed to work properly. I started using Federal primers and they jammed often. The Winchester primers never jam.

The Lee Classic Turret is a good product, easy to use, but definitely slower than the Square Deal. I use the Lee for making rifle cartridges, and for this purpose, it works well. I can make about 100 rounds an hour on the Lee.

Both are great. The dies for Lee are cheaper, that is true. But the Square Deal is IMO a better made (more strongly constructed) piece of equipment than the Lee. My Square Deal has many thousands of rounds through it (it was already well used when I bought it, and I put 1000 more through it so far), and still works great. My Lee press is good, but one of the support brackets cracked already when depriming a sticky case, and I only started using it a month ago.

Note, you can get a full setup of Lee gear including the powder drop etc etc for about $150 new. A Dillon square deal will cost about $300 new. If you were buying new, I'd say go with the Lee, you can always keep it and upgrade to a fancier progressive press later anyway. If you can get a used Square deal for $150 approx, I'd say take it. That is a deal.

Hope this helps :-)

[CSACANNONEER]

How about a used 550B?

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=82360

If you're interested, we can talk.

[PDR79]

Ok so heres the update, I had planned on the lee turret because it seemed the best value. I made a low offer on a used square deal and it was accepted. I did not plan on that happening. So I am now hoping I wont regret not getting the lee instead and am debating selling the square deal so i can instead purchase the lee. Thanks wellfedirishman - that makes me feel a better about a spontaneous purchase.

[PDR79]

How about a used 550B?

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=82360

If you're interested, we can talk.

thanks but thats more than i want to spend right now. The square deal I got for was for less than 150 but needs I think I need a new powder measure for it.

[wellfedirishman]

Square Deal

If you got the Square Deal for under $150 you got a deal. Does it come with dies? You can buy Square Deal dies on ebay for about $50, from what I have seen. They come up occasionally.

Where are you located? If you are in the San Fran Bay area let me know.

[PDR79]

It did come with dies and I am in napa just 45mi north of sf.